Various types of gloves have been provided for hand protection in athletic events. U.S. Pat. No. 3,903,546 discloses a glove for striking sports such as karate. The outer shell is molded and is too stiff for football purposes because it prevents adequate hand moving and flexing. It has a stiff portion covering the wrist which prevents wrist flexing. The glove slides onto the hand and there is no means for securing it snugly to the wrist.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,890,649 shows a football glove that is similar to a baseball mitt with openings permitting the fingers and thumb to extend free without protection. It does not cover the wrist to give protection to the wrist.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,120 is directed to a training mitt that completely encloses the fingers. It is not suitable for effective play and does not provide wrist protection. The fingers are completely contained, and a player cannot remove the mitt by himself due to the lacing.
Another approach is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,272. It is similar to the application in U.S. Pat. No. 3,903,546 and has the same disadvantages. In addition, the device extends completely up to the elbow which renders it cumbersome and difficult to work with. It is aimed at training drills for using the arm in making contact.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,063 discloses a protective glove using a pneumatic guard. The guard extends over the wrist and although it protects the wrist, it prevents the wrist from flexing as required during play. The glove is secured by slipping it on and wrapping with tape. Thus, it is not easy to remove or adjust to different situations during a game. The football center, for example, needs a loose wrist strap for a long snap and a tight wrist strap for a short snap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,229 shows a football glove wherein the hand pad extends well over the fingers, preventing freedom of finger movement. It includes double finger loops, thumb webs and a palm strap laced to the wrist strap. The thumb protection extends up the wrist. This glove is cumbersome and requires two people to put it on. The lacing prevents quick loosening of the wrist portion for ball handling.
A protective football glove is needed which will protect the portions of the hand and wrist most often subject to injury. Such a glove needs to be simple and sturdy. A player must be able to put it on and remove it by himself. The glove is required to permit wrist movement while at the same time providing good wrist protection.